Border Fence Plan Worries Texas Ranchers

Jeff Reed, co owner of Pepe's on the River bar and grill, looks out along the Rio Grande River, the river that is the border between Mexico and the United States, from the edge of the water along his business in Mission, Texas, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006. Reed and other business owners wonder how the building of a wall along the Texas-Mexico border will effect their businesses. (AP Photo/Joel Martinez) (Joel Martinez - AP)

Environmentalists say the fence also would destroy decades of government work building up wildlife corridors to allow endangered species like ocelots and jaguarundi access to the river.

The legislation calls for one Texas section of fence stretching from Del Rio to Eagle Pass and a much larger piece along the 361 river-miles from Laredo to Brownsville, where much of the border population lives.

"I could see if they put the fence in desolate areas and isolated areas, but to come down here and interfere with businesses and stuff such as mine?" said Reed, the waterfront restaurant owner. "Nobody's crossing right here anyway, not with a lot of activity. We've got 500, 600 people sitting out here. They're not going to pull up a boatload and start unloading."

Mexican President Vicente Fox has called the plan "an embarrassment for the United States" and said a fence would not stop millions of Mexicans from heading north in search of jobs.

Similarly, mayors of U.S. cities close to the river have spoken out against the economic and diplomatic effect of a fence in a region where Mexico and the United States interact fluidly.

"Here we are in the midst of an economic mega-boom and we're building fences," said Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas. "What ridiculous symbolism. Here we are tearing walls down around the world and we're putting up walls."

Mexican customers make up about 35 percent of the city of McAllen's retail trade and have been buying real estate and opening businesses in the city at a rapid pace.

A fence "sends the message that you're not wanted or you're not welcome. I know I would be insulted," said Steve Ahlenius, president of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. And he questioned whether a fence would even work: "Human instinct is that if you have a 10-foot fence, you're going to find an 11-foot ladder."

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Associated Press Writer Alicia A. Caldwell contributed to this report from El Paso.